I am by no means a creative when it comes to my makeup. Not through lack of trying, of course. It’s just that I really don’t possess the skills to produce works on art on my own face. Not only do I have a terribly unsteady hand (I’m messy and clumsy by nature), but I really don’t have the patience to spend hours experimenting with different colours and shapes. Like so many others, I like my makeup to look natural, understated and take approximately five minutes to apply.
When I first heard that Byredo (one of my favourite fragrance brands) was releasing a makeup line, I could barely contain my excitement. The brand is well-known for its super-chic, understated but inexplicably cool unisex scents, and the bottles have graced the most stylish of Instagram feeds for the last few years. Because of this, my hopes for the new Byredo Makeup line (created in collaboration with British makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench) were that it would closely reflect the laid-back, cool vibe and aesthetic of the fragrances.
But wow was I wrong. In fact, when I first saw the visuals for Byredo Makeup, I was concerned that it wasn’t going to appeal to me after all. The collection, which comprises of just five products (lip balm, lipstick, mascara, eye liner and multi-use colour sticks), is an explosion of colour. The packaging is as simple and chic as you might expect. Housed in the same style of boxes as the fragrances, the cases are simple yet beautiful. The lipstick bullets, for example, are housed in heavyweight, curved, silver and gold metal hardware. The mascara has a curved handle, designed to fit perfectly in the hand, and the tube itself is in hard-wearing, bright red plastic. The black liquid liner is in a sage green tube and is as wonderfully Instagrammable as the rest of the collection.
The lipsticks have next-level pigment. The satin formulas are almost impossibly comfortable and nourishing while the matte finishes have a second-skin, long-lasting result. The liner is rich, intense and virtually fool-proof (even I was impressed, and I’m a total liner novice). The mascara is worth a particularly special mention, too. The brush itself is small and thin, making it easy to grab every single lash for a natural-looking but lengthened finish.
The star of the Byredo makeup show, however, is without a doubt the Colour Sticks. In 16 different shades with varying finishes (some are shimmery, some matte, others dewy and more sheer), the Colour Sticks can be used wherever and however you fancy. They can be scribbled over eyes, dabbed onto cheeks and blotted onto lips. And, although it sounded like a lazy-girl’s dream, the bright colours at first put me off.
But then I actually saw them in the flesh and got touchy, feely, and all of my preconceptions went straight out of the window. The Colour Sticks appear at first to be multi-purpose sticks ideal for creative types that like to paint their faces like true artists, however when you get up close and personal with them, they are so much more.
Sure you can use them as creative crayons, but you can also utilise them in a much more wearable way, too. Of course, there is the odd bright, electric shade, but the majority are seriously wearable. Think browns, nudes and pinks that can be worn day or night, making them the perfect makeup choice for those, like me, who don’t want to spend too much time on their faces in the morning. Simply pick your shade, scribble over lids, dab onto cheeks and blot onto lips for the speediest, most understated by beautiful makeup look I have ever set my eyes upon.
In fact, my obsession with the Colour Sticks is so intense that I have culled a bunch of my blushes, highlights and cream shadows to make room for these new wonder products. The best bit? Byredo aren’t stopping there. In the near future, Eyeshadow palettes will be launching, too. In truly stunning hammered compacts (quite possibly the chicest palette I have ever seen), I can confirm that the shades inside are equally as beautiful as the exterior.
So yes, long story short: Byredo makeup has pleasantly surprised me in every single way, and I’m patiently waiting for more. In the meantime though, I’ll be steadily growing my Colour Stick collection and eeking out every last drop of the mascara until I no doubt purchase another one.
Keep scrolling to shop the new Byredo makeup collection.
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